5 famous European clubs we can’t believe have been promoted in 2023-24

A host of exciting clubs have been promoted across the continent at the climax of the 2023-24 season. Some of them famed clubs of former glory, some of them up-and-coming, some of them just a lot of fun.

The planning and preparation start now for the promoted sides, choosing whether to stick to their playing principles and risk Burnley-ing their way straight back to the league from whence they came, stick with the squad that got them promoted or add star names.

Here are five teams we can’t wait to see trying their hand at a higher level of football in 2023-24, starting in Deutschland with the hipsters’ favourite.

St. Pauli

The German punks have been missing from the top tier since 2011, but have now fought their way back to the Bundesliga, with their support within Germany, and internationally, as strong as it’s ever been.

We can’t wait to see the boys in brown slugging it out at the top of the pyramid, captained by Aussie legend Jackson Irvine. More importantly, we’re looking forward to seeing what the supporters bring to the stadia across the country as they soak it all up.

Como 1907

In 2016, Como went bankrupt and was disbanded. A new team was set up when Michael Essien’s wife, Akosua Puni Essien, bought the rights to the club, and were eventually admitted into Serie D under the new name Como 1907.

Now under the guidance of Cesc Fabregas, Thierry Henry, and Dennis Wise, the Lombardy side won promotion to Serie A on the final day of the Serie B season, and we reckon it’s gonna be a lot of fun.

The only hitch is that they might have to find somewhere else to play their home games, as their current stadium doesn’t meet Serie A standards, which is saying something considering the disrepair some of those Italian stadia are in.

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Parma

The other side promoted from Serie B this season, ahead of Como, are good old Parma. Everyone of a certain age has a soft spot for Parma.

That lovely yellow-and-blue hooped kit, Gianfranco Zola, Hernan Crespo, Fabio Cannavaro, Juan Seba Veron, Lilian Thuram, Enrico Chiesa… do you know what we mean?

I Crociati are back in the big team after winning Serie B, which makes us happy. Just feels right. If they could design a big baggy kit that we could tuck into our shorts, that would be lovely, as well. Are you listening, kit designers?

Deportivo La Coruna

Deportivo dropped out of La Liga in 2018, and slipped into the third tier two years after that. The Herculeans have spent the last four seasons in the third division of Spanish football, but have clawed their way back to the Segunda in 2024.

We miss Deportivo in La Liga. They won the bloody thing in the year 2000 and were European regulars for five or six seasons around the turn of the millennium.

READ: How Rivaldo went from zero to hero at Deportivo La Coruna

Real Valladolid

Any team that wears purple is alright with us. Purple & white stripes are even better, so sign us up to the Valladolid fan club.

Valladolid are owned by Ronaldo—the proper one, from Brazil—and Ronaldo exists in he grey area between man and deity as far as we’re concerned, so we’re thrilled that they’ve bounced straight back up into La Liga following last season’s relegation.